Most Memorable Lines of the Second Presidential Debate

In the midst of one of the most unpredictable presidential elections in history, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are meeting for the second time in a town hall–style debate at Washington University in St. Louis.

With Trump vowing to “never drop out of the race” or “let [his] supporters down,” and inviting three women to the debate hall who have accused former President Bill Clinton of sexual assault, this presidential debate promises to be an explosive one.

Here are some of the most memorable quotes from tonight’s exchange:

“I agree with everything she said.”

Just minutes after Trump and Clinton took the stage without shaking hands, Trump struck a conciliatory tone, saying his focus was to make the country a better place, echoing comments from Clinton.
“You bragged that you have sexually assaulted women.”

Moderator Anderson Cooper of CNN challenged Trump by bringing up the recording released Friday that showed Trump making derogatory comments about women in 2005.
“I don’t think you understood what was said.”

Trump defended himself, again claiming it was “locker-room banter.”
”You know, with prior Republican nominees, for president, I disagreed with them. Politics, policies, principles. But I never questioned their fitness to serve. Donald Trump is different.”

Clinton repeats a sentiment she has shared before, but this time with new meaning, and elaborated by saying, “He has said that the video doesn’t represent who he is. But I think it’s clear to anyone who heard it that it represents exactly who he is.”
“It’s just words, folks.

Trump claimed that the words he spoke on the 2005 tape were just that, words, and he compared them to the rhetoric employed by Clinton during her past campaigns for Senate.
“If you look at Bill Clinton, far worse, mine are words and his are action.”

As expected, Trump attacked Clinton’s husband, Bill Clinton, for allegations of sexual assault levied against him.
”Well, first, let me start by saying, that so much of what he’s just said is not right. But he gets to run his campaign any way he chooses, he gets to decide what he wants to talk about, instead of answering questions, laying out the plans we have we think can make a better life and a better country. That’s his choice.”

Clinton’s response to Trump’s comments invoking Kathy Shelton, Paula Jones and Bill Clinton’s other accusers.
“And I’ll tell you what, I didn’t think I’d say this, but I’m going to say it, and I hate to say it, but if I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation.”

Trump transitioned away from talk about his alleged sexual assault to attack Clinton on her handling of confidential material as secretary of state, promising to continue to investigate Clinton should he become president.
“It’s just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country.”

Clinton, brushing aside Trump’s threat, hit the Republican nominee once again on his temperament.
“Because you’d be in jail.”

Trump’s retort.
“Donald, I know you’re into big diversions tonight, anything to avoid talking about your campaign and the way it’s exploding and Republicans are leaving you.”

After Trump accused Clinton of wanting to move to a new topic so she wouldn’t have to discuss her email controversy, Clinton invoked the members of the GOP who rescinded their support from Trump this weekend.

“I intend to defeat ISIS and do so in a coalition with a majority Muslim nations. A lot of those nations are hearing what Donald says and wondering why should we cooperate with Americans. This is a gift to ISIS and the terrorists.”

Clinton responded to an audience member’s question about how to defeat ISIS.
“First of all, Captain [Humayun] Khan is an American hero and if I were president at that time he would be alive today.”

Two months after sparring with the Khan family following Khizr Khan’s acclaimed Democratic National Convention speech, Trump says he would have protected their Muslim American son, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2004.
”She lied. Now she is blaming the lie on the late great Abraham Lincoln. Honest Abe never lied. That’s the difference between Abraham Lincoln and you.”

Moderator Martha Raddatz of ABC News asked Clinton about leaked emails that show Clinton saying it is OK to have both public and private positions on political issues. After Clinton claimed that the movie “Lincoln” showed the 16th president doing the same, Trump compared Clinton to Lincoln.
“She complains that Donald Trump took advantage of the tax code. Why didn’t you change it when you were a senator? The reason is that all your friends take the same advantage I took.”

Just moments earlier, Trump claimed that he paid “hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes,” then shifted the focus to Clinton, saying that if millionaires dodging their taxes was such a problem, she should have fixed it when she was a U.S. senator.
“No. I have a write-off and a lot is depreciation. I love depreciation. She has given it to us. If she had a problem, for 30 years she talks about health care. Why didn’t you do something about it?”

Trump’s answer when Cooper asked him directly how long he “avoided paying taxes.”
“He and I haven’t spoken and I disagree.”

Trump provided this response when — in the midst of a question about the humanitarian crisis in Aleppo, Syria — Raddatz quoted Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, and asked why Trump seemed to diverge from Pence on their strategy.
“Tweeting happens to be a modern day form of communication. You can like it or not. Between Facebook and Twitter I have 25 million people.”

Cooper, referencing the discipline it takes to be president, asked why Trump tweeted two weeks ago at 3 a.m., including one “to check out a sex tape.” Trump noted his ardent following and the changing nature of communication.
“Mrs. Clinton, does Mr. Trump have the discipline to be a good leader?” “No.” “I’m shocked to hear that.”

Cooper followed up on his question with Clinton who gave a blunt answer. Trump said he wasn’t surprised.